daniyasiddiquiEditor’s Choice
Asked: 28/08/2025In: ,

economy empowering workers or exploit

companynews
  1. daniyasiddiqui
    daniyasiddiqui Editor’s Choice

     The Promise of Empowerment At its best, the gig economy offers something traditional employment does not: independence. Workers get to choose their schedule, choose which work is best for them, and avoid strictures. For a working mom trying to balance parenting, or a college student trying to hustlRead more

     The Promise of Empowerment

    At its best, the gig economy offers something traditional employment does not: independence. Workers get to choose their schedule, choose which work is best for them, and avoid strictures. For a working mom trying to balance parenting, or a college student trying to hustle along with classes, that autonomy is liberty. Others use gig work as a stepping stone—to build a portfolio, try out being an entrepreneur, or supplement income without taking on a second job.

    There is also the psychological empowerment of being “your own boss.” Even as the platform imposes a lot of the structure, the decision-making on a day-to-day basis—whether to toil, how much to toil—belongs to the worker. That is extremely motivating for some and provides a feeling of control missing in the ancient nine-to-five.

     The Reality of Exploitation

    But here’s the other side: empowerment without security can be exploitation. Gig workers typically have little protections—health coverage, paid leave, job protection, or even a minimum wage guarantee. A driver may be logged on for 10 hours but earn only a fraction of what a traditional worker would because the wait time in between gigs is unpaid.

    Furthermore, the platforms are the ones that set the rules. Algorithms decide who gets the best gigs, how much employees are paid, and if they can even remain on the platform at all. Employees normally have little say in these terms, so the idea of “independence” rings hollow. An absence of transparency in pay schemes and sudden policy changes can leave gig workers vulnerable, often getting stuck in some kind of endless cycle of chasing the next small payoff.

     A Middle Way Coming?

    Globally, governments and the courts are starting to struggle with this balance. A few countries are recasting gig workers as employees, granting them protections but retaining flexibility. Others are calling for a new category of worker—somewhere between contractor and employee—more commensurate with this new reality.

    At the same time, workers are also organizing. From the delivery riders in Europe to the ride-share drivers in India, collective voices are being raised. These movements are re-writing the narrative: gig work does not have to be exploitative if there are reasonable rules and protections.

     The Human Layer

    At a human level, it is simply this: gig economy can empower or exploit depending on context. For someone who would choose it as an addition to other forms of support, it might feel empowering. But for someone who is reliant on it as the sole source of support, a lack of protections might feel suffocating. The “freedom” it offers can easily descend into precarity.

    In other words, the gig economy is a bit of a double-edged sword: convenient and agile, but lethal if not shielded. What workers, politicians, and platforms do over the next few years will determine whether it is a passport to freedom or a below-the-radar regime of exploitation.

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daniyasiddiquiEditor’s Choice
Asked: 27/08/2025In: , ,

traditional banking systems

companynews
  1. daniyasiddiqui
    daniyasiddiqui Editor’s Choice

    What's Behind the Frenzy for Cryptocurrencies? At its core, cryptocurrencies are a new idea: money that doesn't belong to governments, central banks, or large financial institutions. It's peer-to-peer, digital, worldwide, and decentralized. To others, this isn't technology—it's a philosophy of freedRead more

    What’s Behind the Frenzy for Cryptocurrencies?

    • At its core, cryptocurrencies are a new idea: money that doesn’t belong to governments, central banks, or large financial institutions. It’s peer-to-peer, digital, worldwide, and decentralized. To others, this isn’t technology—it’s a philosophy of freedom in finance.
    • People who live in corrupt regimes or hyperinflationary countries see cryptocurrency as a lifeline. For instance, in Venezuela or Zimbabwe, Bitcoin has sometimes been more stable than the local currency. It enables people to keep value, send remittances, or receive payment without having to resort to unstable or predatory financial systems.
    • Then there are the unbanked—some 1.4 billion people around the world who have no access to a bank account. For these, all you need is a smartphone and an internet connection, and voilà, crypto is a ticket to the global economy.
    • So, yes, the idea of crypto as a banker’s replacement is tuned to an actual desire for more just, transparent, and equitable financial systems.

    But Let’s Not Oversimplify Things

    • When people ask if crypto can “replace” traditional banking, we must be realistic as to what that entails. Banks are not simply repositories of money. They give credit, facilitate trade, administer credit, invest in public works, and even stabilize economies during financial crises. They’re deeply embedded with governments and play a massive role in operating national and world economies.
    • So, to “replace” traditional banks, crypto networks would need to provide all of those services reliably, safely, and at scale. That’s an awful tall order.
    • Today, the majority of crypto platforms are teenagers. Sure, they’re incredibly innovative, but they have some serious issues:
    • Volatility: Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are notoriously volatile. Their prices go wildly up and down in a single day, making them unsuitable for everyday transactions or savings.
    • Scalability: Ethereum-type networks are grapple with scaling but still grapple with high costs and slow processing during congestion.
    • Security: Hacks, scams, and fraud are the norm in crypto-land. Billions lost. With no central authority, if your wallet gets hacked, nobody to call.
    • Regulation: Governments do not do nothing. Many of them are shutting down crypto because of fear of money laundering, tax evasion, and economic instability. In others, crypto is flat out illegal.
    • User Experience: The everyday user still finds crypto intimidating. Private keys, gas fees, wallets—it’s not as easy to use as tapping a credit card or tapping a banking app.
    • So while crypto is exciting, it’s far from being able to fully replace the deeply integrated infrastructure of traditional finance.

    A More Realistic Future: Coexistence, Not Replacement

    • Instead of a full-on replacement, a more realistic vision is integration and coexistence. We’re already seeing this happen:
    • Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs): Many governments are exploring or developing digital currencies that use blockchain-inspired tech but remain under central control.
    • Stablecoins: Stablecoins are stable assets-pegged cryptocurrencies (e.g., the US dollar) and are attempting to bridge the gap between fiat and crypto. They’re being used in remittances, cross-border commerce, and even savings apps.
    • Decentralized Finance (DeFi): This is an area in crypto that’s trying to mirror banking services—like lending and borrowing—on the blockchain. It’s still experimental, but it shows how mainstream functions might differ in decentralized versions.
    • Traditional Banks Playing Catch-Up: Big banks already offer crypto services. JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, et al are dipping their toes in the water with cryptos, meaning that rather than fighting crypto, they’re trying to find ways to work with it.

    So, Can Crypto Replace Banks?

    • If you’re asking yourself whether crypto will make banks obsolete in the next 5, 10, or 20 years—honestly, it doesn’t appear likely.
    • But are you wondering whether crypto will change the world of money, induce banks to change their stripes, and give individuals access to new forms of storing and moving funds—absolutely yes. That’s already happening.
    • No more than email didn’t kill physical mail but completely altered how we communicated, crypto is not going to kill banks—but is already reshaping the face of finance and who has access to it.

    The Human Side of the Story

    • Finance, in the end, is not code and figures—it’s stability, trust, and access. It’s about an individual being able to put aside money for his child to study, to buy his first house, or send remittances to distant family members.
    • It may come through a branch of a local bank or a wallet on your mobile based on blockchain, but the intent remains the same: make individuals financially enabled.
    • Perhaps then the real promise of cryptocurrencies is not about toppling the traditional banking establishment—but in changing it, making it more democratic, more efficient, and responsive to everyone.
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daniyasiddiquiEditor’s Choice
Asked: 27/08/2025In: , ,

politics than trade balance

companynews
  1. daniyasiddiqui
    daniyasiddiqui Editor’s Choice

    Tariffs: From Economics to Politics Tariffs, in themselves, are relatively straightforward: they're levies on imports. Governments have employed them for centuries to defend domestic industry, balance trade books, or gain revenue. But now, in the modern age, tariffs are something entirely different—Read more

    Tariffs: From Economics to Politics

    Tariffs, in themselves, are relatively straightforward: they’re levies on imports. Governments have employed them for centuries to defend domestic industry, balance trade books, or gain revenue. But now, in the modern age, tariffs are something entirely different—they’re political statements and economic actions.

    If a country imposes tariffs on another country, it’s not just about moving numbers around on a trade sheet. It’s about sending a message: “We’re standing up for our workers, we’re making America great again, we won’t be pushed around.” That is why tariffs are likely to appear first in impassioned political speeches and then perhaps an economics textbook.

     Why Politicians Love Tariffs

    • Simplicity: Tariffs are easy to explain to voters. It’s much simpler to say, “We’re protecting our steelworkers by taxing foreign steel” than to explain the complexities of global supply chains.
    • Symbolism: They make leaders look tough. Tariffs say, “We’re fighting back against unfair trade,” even if the economic reality is more nuanced.
    • Short-term wins: Tariffs can boost certain industries or regions in the short run—important in an election year.
    • So even if economists argue about whether tariffs actually cure trade deficits, politicians employ them because they feel good.

     Real-World Examples

    • The U.S.–China trade war: Tariffs were less about balanced imports and exports. They were about controlling technology, national pride, and showing political muscle.
    • Tariffs on green technologies: Politicians typically justify them on economic terms, but they’re also motivated by domestic politics—courting local manufacturers, protecting jobs, or showing gravitas in relation to national security.
    • Election cycles: Tariffs often spike in election years, because they’re an easy way to show voters: “I’m fighting for you.”

    The Human Cost

    • Here’s the irony: while tariffs are sold as protecting workers, the everyday impact often lands on regular people.
    • Foreign products become pricier—be it phones, cars, or greens.
    • Other nations retaliate through tariffs, penalizing local farmers and exporters.
    • Small and medium enterprises that are dependent on international supply chains suffer the most.
    • So tariffs may be great in politics but can boomerang economically against the very people whom they’re intended to help.

    Trade Balance vs. Politics: What’s Winning?

    • The bad news is that politics is winning.
    • Trade deficits are driven by enormous forces such as consumer appetite, international supply chains, and exchange rates—tariffs tend not to “fix” them by themselves.
    • But as instruments of politics, tariffs are potent symbols of potency, sovereignty, and strength.
    • That is why governments continue to return to them, even when economists advise them they do not always work.

     Briefly: tariffs now are less to equalize trade and more to equalize narratives—the narrative that leaders spin for their citizens on behalf of whom they’re fighting and against whom they’re fighting back. For citizens, the fight is to see beyond slogans and demand: Is this about developing the economy—or merely to grab political advantage?

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daniyasiddiquiEditor’s Choice
Asked: 27/08/2025In: , ,

reshaping cities and communities perm ...

communicationcompany
  1. daniyasiddiqui
    daniyasiddiqui Editor’s Choice

     How Remote Work Transformed Prior to 2020, the notion that millions would work their entire career from home was virtually unthinkable. Offices, commutes, and filled city streets lined with office workers seemed the inviolate status quo. And then the pandemic struck, and remote work wasn't an experRead more

     How Remote Work Transformed

    Prior to 2020, the notion that millions would work their entire career from home was virtually unthinkable. Offices, commutes, and filled city streets lined with office workers seemed the inviolate status quo. And then the pandemic struck, and remote work wasn’t an experiment—it was a matter of survival.

    Today, even as the world opens up, remote and hybrid work are here to stay. This revolution is subtly reshaping not only businesses, but also cities, communities, and lives.

     Leaving the Commute Behind

    • Cities have been built for decades around the concept of office commutes. Trains, freeways, and coffeehouses all centered on the daily commute. But work-from-home has disrupted this, and people are asking: Why pay to live in an overpriced downtown area if I can work from anywhere?
    • This has created trends such as:
    • Suburban or small-town relocation where housing is less expensive and quality of life appears greater.
    • Decline in downtown foot traffic, with office skyscrapers filling up empty and city businesses hurting.
    • New urban looks at how to redevelop office-concentrated areas as housing or mixed-use communities.

     Communities in Transition

    • Remote work is not only transforming cities but also neighborhoods:
      Higher neighborhood engagement: With more time spent at home, in local cafes, gyms, and stores, which stimulates local economies.
    • Fading of boundaries between work and life: Home is no longer “home anymore,” and neighborhoods evolve with shared working space and adjustable meeting rooms.
    • Worldwide communities: Individuals form friendships and professional associations worldwide, so “community” is no longer site-specific.
    • Others fear less face-to-face time with colleagues erodes social networks created in the workplace.

     Winners and Losers in This Shift

    • Winners: Rural areas, suburbs, and small towns are luring workers who previously felt trapped in large cities. Employees like flexibility and frequently save money.
    • Losers: Large cities with high populations that rely on office workers—transport networks, restaurants, and property—are confronted with a dismal future.
    • The transition isn’t level, and that is the reason some locations experience a “remote work boom” while others are confronted with vacant office buildings.

     A Permanent Trend or Just a Phase?

    It feels more enduring—but quietly. Remote full-time work will never be the norm, but hybrid models (2–3 days remote, remainder in the office) are the new norm. This still transforms cities, because even half-empty offices mean reduced demand for monster corporate campuses and less fixed commuting schedules.

    We might be going towards cities built less about 9-to-5 work and more about open, mixed-use communities where individuals live, work, and interact through the same space.

     The Human Side of It All

    At its core, this change isn’t economic—it’s what matters most. Most found they liked wasting time with family and friends instead of in traffic. They found mental health thrives when you get to control your day. And they found digital solutions can bring teams together without locking them in cubicles.

    Cities and communities will evolve to reflect these priorities—more green spaces, local hubs, and housing where people can balance both work and life.

    So, Are Cities Being Reshaped Permanently?

    • Yes—but not into ghost towns. Instead, they’re being reimagined. Remote work won’t kill cities; it will transform them. We’ll see:
    • Downtowns shifting from office clusters to mixed living, cultural, and social hubs.
    • Neighborhoods gaining new life as people work closer to home.
    • Communities expanding beyond geography, thanks to digital connections.

    In short: remote work has cracked open the rigid mold of how cities and communities function. What we’re seeing isn’t just a temporary adjustment—it’s the beginning of a new way of organizing human life around flexibility, connection, and choice.

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Anonymous
Asked: 27/08/2025In: , ,

digital friendships as meaningful as ...

newstechnology
  1. Anonymous
    Anonymous

     The Age of Friendships in the Digital Era Decades ago, being friends was about skipping school, gathering at a coffee shop, or ringing your neighbor's bell. Today, friendships begin with WhatsApp chat, Discord servers, gaming groups, or even Instagram Direct Messages. There are individuals with besRead more

     The Age of Friendships in the Digital Era

    Decades ago, being friends was about skipping school, gathering at a coffee shop, or ringing your neighbor’s bell. Today, friendships begin with WhatsApp chat, Discord servers, gaming groups, or even Instagram Direct Messages. There are individuals with best friends whom they have never met face to face. To some, this no longer seems unusual—it’s the norm.

    But is the question: are they as real and significant as live ones?

     Why Internet Friendships Can Be Highly Important

    • Emotional Intimacy: At times, individuals are more comfortable opening up to each other online. Without the threat of eye contact or social scrutiny, conversations can become deeper in a shorter time.
    • Common Interests: Online communities unite people from geography so that they might bond over obscure interests—be it gaming, literature, or activism—that they might never find in their own neighborhood.
    • Consistency: Regular texts, voice messages, or late-night chats can help incorporate someone into your life just as much as bumping into them in person.
    • Support Systems: For the isolated in their own worlds (such as LGBTQ+ youth in intolerant communities), online friendships are a blessing.
    • For others, the joy, love, and understanding created on-line as real as hugs and giggles in the flesh.

    Where Digital Falls Short

    • All of that being said, internet friendships aren’t perfect:
    • Physical Presence: There’s just something irreplaceable about a hug, eating together, or just hanging out in the same room.
    • Miscommunication: Texting does not always capture tone and can result in misunderstandings.
    • Fragility: Some online friendships fade faster—people can vanish with an invisible “ghost” where that seldom occurs with a neighbor or classmate.
    • Shared Experience: Sharing a movie online with someone is not the same thing as sitting alongside in a theater, laughing together.
    • Virtual connections are rich, but they are limited by being non-sensory and non-spontaneous compared to face-to-face connection.

    The Human Middle Ground

    Perhaps the actual answer lies in not having to choose one and losing the other. Most of today’s friendships are hybrids: they begin online, gain depth with shared chat, and then become more passionate after meeting in person. Even if they never become offline, internet friendships can be rich, trust-based, and loving.

    The ability to make it work depends on intention. If both partners spend time, risk, and reliability, the friendship—both online and offline—can be deep.

     So, Are They Just as Meaningful?

    • The truth is: yes, they can—but differently.
    • Physical friendships bring depth with common physical presence and daily life.
    • Virtual friendships bring depth with convenience of access, emotional transparency, and world-wide connectivity.
    • Neither is “less real.” They simply satisfy human connection in different ways.

     Short answer: online friendships are not necessarily in place of physical ones, but they can definitely be just as meaningful. At its core, friendship is not about where it happens—it’s about the love, trust, and concern that two people have for each other.

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daniyasiddiquiEditor’s Choice
Asked: 27/08/2025In: ,

schools prepare kids for jobs

education
  1. daniyasiddiqui
    daniyasiddiqui Editor’s Choice

    The Challenge of an Uncertain Future Consider this: twenty years ago, a career as an "app developer," an "AI ethicist," or a "drone operator" didn't exist. Move another twenty years into the future, and children sitting in today's classrooms will be working in industries that we can hardly envision—Read more

    The Challenge of an Uncertain Future

    Consider this: twenty years ago, a career as an “app developer,” an “AI ethicist,” or a “drone operator” didn’t exist. Move another twenty years into the future, and children sitting in today’s classrooms will be working in industries that we can hardly envision—directed by AI, climate change, space travel, biotechnology, and so forth.

    This ambiguity is thrilling and terrifying. How do we get children ready for jobs that don’t yet exist? The answer isn’t forecasting specific jobs, but equipping them with skills, attitudes, and grit that will enable them to succeed regardless of what the future holds.

     Beyond Memorization: Teaching How to Learn

    • Schools used to be about content—dates, formulas, definitions. But now with the internet and AI, facts are always available at our fingertips. The true benefit isn’t knowing something, it’s knowing how to learn, unlearn, and relearn.
    • Educate children in how to research, question, and critically evaluate sources.
    • Foster curiosity over correctness—encourage the process, not just the correct answer.
    • Create flexibility so that they can switch direction when industries change.
    • In a changing world, learning is the most important skill.

     Creativity and Problem-Solving at the Core

    • Jobs of the future will require solving tough, real-world problems—many of which have no definitive answers. Schools can assist by:
    • Fostering project-based learning where students work on problems with no one “right” solution.
    • Mixing arts with STEM (STEAM) to power imagination as well as technical expertise.
    • Teaching design thinking—empathize, experiment, and iterate—so kids become at ease generating new solutions rather than copying old ones.
    • Creativity is not only for artists; it’s survival gas in a volatile economy.

    Developing Human Skills in an Age of Technology

    • Ironically, as AI and automation become more prevalent, the most “future-proof” skills are profoundly human:
    • Collaboration: Collaboration across cultures, across disciplines, and even with machines.
    • Emotional intelligence: Emotionally intelligent people understand, connect with others.
    • Ethics: Making considered decisions about how technology is used.
    • Resilience: Coping with failure, stress, and change at warp speed without losing it.
    • Schools that put empathy, collaboration, and communication at the top of their list will grow children prepared for a world where computers do tasks but human beings manage meaning.

     Digital & Entrepreneurial Mindsets

    • Children require more than mere “tech-savviness.” They should learn how technology influences the world—and how they might influence it in return. That includes:
    • Coding and digital proficiency, certainly—but also digital responsibility.
    • Exposure to entrepreneurship, where children learn to identify opportunities and build value from the ground up.
    • A mindset that believes: “If the job I want does not exist, perhaps I can create it.”

     Lifelong Learning Culture

    Maybe the greatest gift schools can provide isn’t an ingrained body of knowledge but a passion for learning. Children should leave school not thinking, “I’m finished learning at 18 or 22,” but “I’m just beginning.”

    Fostering curiosity, self-directed learning, and a growth mindset makes sure they’ll continue to grow long after they leave school behind.

     So, How Do Schools Really Ready Children?

    By moving from:

    • Teaching answers → to teaching questions.
    • Fixed curriculums → to flexible skills.
    • One-size-fits-all learning → to customized growth.
    • The end goal isn’t to prepare children for a single job, but to ready them for any job—and even for jobs they will invent themselves.

    In short: schools should prepare kids not for a single future, but for a future full of possibilities. The real curriculum of tomorrow is curiosity, creativity, adaptability, and humanity.

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Anonymous
Asked: 27/08/2025In: ,

traditional degrees

education
  1. Anonymous
    Anonymous

     The Old Path: Degrees as the Golden Ticket For decades, a college degree has been the entry ticket to good jobs. It wasn’t just about the knowledge you gained—it was a signal to employers: “This person is educated, disciplined, and employable.” A degree opened doors, sometimes regardless of whetherRead more

     The Old Path: Degrees as the Golden Ticket

    For decades, a college degree has been the entry ticket to good jobs. It wasn’t just about the knowledge you gained—it was a signal to employers: “This person is educated, disciplined, and employable.” A degree opened doors, sometimes regardless of whether you used what you actually studied.

    But this is where the catch is: degrees are costly, not universally available, and may not always translate to skills that align with the fast-paced labor market. That’s why questions are being raised—is it time to place a premium on real skills rather than diplomas?

    The Rise of Skill-Based Hiring

    • Increasingly, more businesses today are trying out skills-first hiring. Rather than screening resumes by degree, they scan what people can do. This could involve:
    • Coding challenges rather than a computer science degree.
    • Design work portfolios rather than an art school certificate.
    • Certifications, online course completion, or apprenticeships as indicators of skills.
    • Real-world experience and projects booming louder than academic credentials.
    • Tech behemoths like Google, IBM, and Microsoft already eliminated degree requirements for most positions in favor of skills tests and practical competence.

     Why This Shift Makes Sense

    • Skills-based hiring can seem more equitable and future-proof:
    • Access & inclusion: University isn’t affordable for everyone, but they can learn online, at bootcamps, or through community programs.
    • Relevance: Industries change so rapidly that experiential learning tends to be faster than traditional curriculums.
    • Diversity: By eliminating strict degree screens, employers are opening the door to alternative candidates with a wealth of insight.
    • It’s more in sync with how people actually develop today—by self-learning, side jobs, and irregular career trajectories.

    The Challenges Ahead

    • But let’s face it—skill-based hiring isn’t a one-to-one exchange:
    • Faith & endorsement: Degrees are a “seal of approval.” Employers might find it tough to qualify skills reliably without universal standards.
    • Bias: Despite skills tests, unconscious bias can still infiltrate hiring.
    • Soft skills: Communication, collaboration, leadership—these are more difficult to quantify than technical expertise but just as important.
    • Hybrid model: Formal education is still necessary in certain industries (such as medicine, law, engineering) to maintain safety and ethics.
    • Thus, while tech, design, or marketing loves skill-based recruitment, it will never substitute degrees for very regulated professions.

    The Human Impact

    For employees, this change might be liberating. Consider an individual who couldn’t pay for college but developed solid coding abilities through inexpensive resources. Skill-based employment allows them to compete. It also encourages lifelong learning: rather than having to spend a fortune on a single degree in your 20s, individuals may regularly refresh skills over the course of a career.

    But it also creates fears. Degrees, though expensive, gave a feeling of security—a well-trodden path. A skills-first world places more onus on the individual to prove themselves anew and remain relevant continually. That’s thrilling for some, draining for others.

    So, Will Degrees Disappear?

    • Most likely not. But their hegemony will wane. The future is more likely a mix:
    • There will be industries that go strongly into skills-first models.
    • Others will maintain degrees as the standard but respect demonstrated skills equally.
    • In time, degrees themselves will change—becoming more modular, adaptable, and skill-oriented.

    In brief: skill-based recruitment won’t completely eliminate traditional degrees, but it will remode the balance. What will count the most is not the certificate on your wall, but the contribution you can make to the table—and your willingness to continue learning as things evolve.

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